We went inside a Thai shaman ceremony to contact the dead

WATCH | We joined in on a shaman ceremony with David Begg, an American ex-pat living in Chiang Mai, as he tried to make contact with his father who passed away six years ago.

This shaman worked out of a tree house-type hut near his home in an area of Chiang Mai called Seraphi, about 40 minutes outside of the city. He was recommended as someone who is skilled at contacting spirits, so David gave it a shot.

This is the shaman's hut where he sees all his customers.

Superstition, belief in the supernatural and magic is engrained in Thai culture and it's not uncommon for locals to visit a shaman for a variety of reasons. It's believed that shamans have the power of divination (foreseeing the future), can help heal and connect with spirits. They also offer blessings.

When we arrived, two women were already in the middle of their ceremony with the shaman. They had misplaced a lot of money somewhere in their house, and they went to the shaman for a blessing to find the money quickly.

When David's ceremony started, the shaman held onto two objects that belonged to David's father: his tuning fork, and a picture.

The shaman closed his eyes, recited an incantation, and offered David a blessing for good luck. But was he able to connect with his dad's spirit?